11 Christmas
Christmas tip-off
Daniel Gill, founder of event management and catering company Dine, provides his top tips for planning a creative Christmas party
Establish your objectives
Be clear about what you want your event to achieve. Is your Christmas party purely to celebrate the achievements of your business over the past year or is it for something more than that? Are you looking to build connections, attract new clients or thank the existing ones? Establishing your objectives can give you a better idea of how much you are willing to spend and what you might want your theme to be. If your company is renowned for its creativity, or if your event is more informal there are often no limits. Experienced event caterers such as Dine are experts in being creative with budgets of any size and can offer a wide range of options that will fit your event or provide totally bespoke suggestions.
Location, location, location
The location for an event is arguably the most important stage in planning a party, whether it be at Christmas or other times of the year. The venue will set the tone and provide the chance to theme the event and location accordingly. This will influence how guests interact with each other and use the space. It is important to identify what you want from a venue before you make your choice – capacity, location, ambience, accessibility, local accommodation and budget should all be considered. Don’ t forget that if you’ re looking for a unique venue or somewhere with the‘ wow’ factor these tend to book up quickly. Dine often takes bookings for Christmas parties a year in advance so if you want a large selection of venues to choose from, start looking early.
Be adventurous
Don’ t stay with the tried and tested. If planned well, taking risks is often a fantastic way to enhance your company’ s reputation and prove you possess creativity and innovation. An unexpected and unique party will be more likely to create an unforgettable event which both clients and colleagues will remember for all the right reasons. Satisfy your guests’ appetites through innovative ideas and themes. We’ ve been asked to organise everything from a Christmas barbecue, geocaching for Secret Santa presents in the park, or old-fashioned parlour games for a more traditional feel. Tailor your event around exceptional food and service to ensure the event has the right impact and delivers its objectives.
Arrange a tasting
Invest time in your food to fully reflect your company and its values. Bespoke menus tailored to your event that may not reflect a traditional Christmas feast are fantastic for creating an extra special party. It can also give you and your guests inspiration for their own Christmas dinners. Exceptional menus provide an immediate talking point. It’ s important to find your venue before creating a menu as you will need to ensure the location of your party can meet expectations. Don’ t forget to a ask the right questions so that your menu can work perfectly with the location of your party. Remember to cater for dietary requirements, always arrange a tasting before you make your final choice so that you can make any changes, and you may want to incorporate elements of your theme into the food.
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